First off, I’d like to thank the Charles Center and the Monroe Program for this amazing opportunity, as well as my advisor Professor Sasser and my family for the support and guidance they gave me throughout the process.

Over the last two weeks, I have researched three different problems in the Middle East, namely the diplomatic crisis in Qatar, the civil war in Yemen, and the Saudi-Iranian rivalry. In Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and some of its Gulf allies, have started an embargo which seeks to influence Qatar’s policies going forward. So far, the embargo has been ineffective and Saudi Arabia has been forced to lower its demands. The civil war in Yemen is a remnant of the Arab spring. The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, are fighting against the Saudi backed government. The conflict has led to large amounts of civilian casualties. Finally, the Saudi-Iranian rivalry has been a destabilizing force in the region since the Iranian revolution. The conflict has also been partially defined along Sunni-Shiite lines. Next, I examined these problems through International Relations theories.

I am pleased to report that the data I have gathered has shown an enormously positive collective attitude towards outdoor recreational experiences, and an equally overwhelming interest in pursuing further experiences.